Regulating valve



June 10, 294i.

T. A. WETZEL.

REGULATING VALVE Original Filed April 12, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 10,1941. T. A. wETzEL REGULATING VALVE Original Filed April 12, 1937 2Sheng-sheet 2 Patented June 10, 194i REGULATING VALVE Originalapplication pril 12,' 1937, Serial No.

136,291. Divided and this application November 13, 1937, Serial No.174,399

2 Claims.

This invention relates to regulating valves, and more particularly to anautomatic thermostatic regulating valve for controlling the temperaturesin ovens and the like.

The present application is a division of my copending application SerialNo. 136,291, filed April 12, 1937, now Patent No. 2,198,896 grantedApril 30, 1940.

While the invention will be described hereinafter in connection with thedrawings in combination with a safety shutoff valve responsive to thecondition of the pilot flame and in connection with the oven of adomestic gas range, it is to be understood that the regulating valve ofthe present invention may be employed elsewhere than in connection withan oven burner and without combining a safety shutoff valve therewith.

In its broader aspects, the present invention contemplates a selectingand compensating valve arrangement for establishing and maintaining apredetermined temperature within the space being heated.

It is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide animproved form of regulating valve adapted for installation in animproved manner, particularly in connection with an oven burner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedregulating valve structure, an improved correlation between the parts ofthe regulating valve structure, an improved mode of operation and mannerof securing the desired regulation by means of such valve, and animproved arrangement and correlation between the regulating valve, thethermostatic control, and the selecting spindle for controlling theposition of the regulating valve and selecting the temperature' to bemaintained Within the oven or other space being heated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcorrelation between the regulating valve and the pressure responsive orother means for automatically maintaining the selected temperature.

The present invention also contemplates a construction which may belocated at any desired point, either upon an oven wall, n ear the frontcontrol manifold of a gas range, or at any other desired location, andwhich is compact and may be assembled at the place where the same isinstalled, the only requirement for installation being the connection ofthe fuel supply conduit to the control unit, the connection of thecontrol unit to the main burner, and the placing of the thermostaticbulb and the pilot spective locations. Y

The unit as provided by the present invention is of simple design;relatively compact in size, and is so constructed that a safetyshutoiunit may be provided or may be eliminated without requiring anymodification in the design of the control equipment for maintaining thedesired temperature in the oven or other space.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear morefully from the following detailed description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view diagrammatically showing the installation of thecontrol unit and its connections in a domestic range or simil-ar ovenconstruction;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 2 2 of Figurel., illustrating in detail the construction of the safety shuto unit;and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure2, illustrating the details of the oven temperature selecting andcontrol means.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I have indicated generally adomestic gas range 5, having a hinged cover 6 which closes of the opentop or range burners when they are not in use, and having the laterallydisposed oven chamber l confined within the oven walls between which isformed a space adapted to receive insulating material v Below the ovenchamber l I preferably provide a combustion chamber l0, having a maingas' burner i2 therein, which gas burner is provided with the mixingchamber i3 having a gas spud it located centrally thereinv and adaptedto rcceive gas from the conduit member I5.

The burner l2 is supported in any suitable manner within the combustionchamber l0, and preferably the mixing chamber I3 is provided with anannular ange portion i6 definitely posi` tioning the burner within thecombustion chamber and abutting against the inner oven wall portion Themixing chamber i3 is preferably provided with the usual regulatingshutter for controlling the amount of air admitted thereto for mixturewith the gas issuing from the spud il.

Disposed adjacent the main burner i2 is a pilot tip member il having anopen end i8 and a port i9 adjacent the open end through which pilotflames E@ are adapted to project for igniting the gas issuing from theports of the main burner. orifices, indicated at 22, pass the gas tip intheir reto the port I9 and to the open endvi8 of the pilot tip memberI1.

Disposed .within the oven chamber 1 and preferably located adjacent theupper portion of this chamber is a bulb member 23, containing a fluidwhich has a relatively high temperature coeflicient of expansion, andwhich is connected through the capillary tubing 24 to the control unitindicated generally at 25. The member 23 constitutes an oven thermalbulb, the pressure of the fluid within the bulb 23 being transmittedthrough the tube 24 to control the iiow of gas to the main burner I2 ina manner to be described in detail hereinafter.

'Ihe control unit 25 is provided with a connection 26 adapted to receivethe main fuel supply conduit 21, which supplies fuel tothe control unit25 from a suitable gas supply manifold or the like. An outlet port 28 isprovided on the unit 25 which is connected through the conduit 29, avalve 30, and the conduit I5, to the main burner supply spud I4 forconducting the fuel to the main burner I2 for ignition by the pilotburner. The valve -39 is preferably provided with an operating handle 32for manually controlling the gas supply between the conduits 29 and I5.The unit 25 is also provided with the selecting dial indicated generallyat 33, which is rotatable for selecting the desired temperature to bemaintained within the chamber 1, this temperature being controlled afterinitial selection by the member 33 through the thermal bulb member 23 ina manner to be described in detail hereinaiter.

Disposed within the pilot tip I1 is a hot thermocouple junctionindicated at 35, this junction being formed between the sleeve memberforming the pilot tip I1 and an inner conductor member 36 which iswelded thereto as indicated. The inner thermocouple member 36 isconnected through the cold junction 35a with the thermocouple lead 35awhich exten through the insula-v tion 31 within the metallic tubing 38to the control member 25. The junction 35 is subjected to the heat ofthe pilot llame, and the lead 36, together with the tube 38, forms thetwo conductors of a ilexible lead for leading the current generated atthe tip 35 back to suitable control means positioned within the controlunit 2-5.

Considering now in detail 'the structure shown in Figures 2 and 3, theunit 25 comprises a main housing member 4l which is provided with aclosure cap 42 at one end thereof, this cap forming a suitable supportfor a bushing 43 which extends thereinto and which supports thecapillary tube 24, the bushing 4I being provided with the shoulder 44which abuts against the inner face of the cap 42, and with a suitablenut 45 for clamping the bushing in position on the cap.

The capillary tube 24 is connected, within the housing 48, to adiaphragm power element indicated generally at 46, which is secured asindicated' at 41 to the inner end of the bushing 43, whereby pressurechanges within the member 23 are transmitted through the tube 24 to theinterior of the element 46. thereby expanding and contracting the same.

The housing 48 is provided intermediate its ends with an inwardlyextending flange portion 48 which is adapted to form a guide for thereciprocatory valve member 49 adapted to have longitudinal slidingmovement within the ilange 48.V At its end the member 49 is providedIwith the radial flange portion 50 forming a seat for Ya metal cagemember 52 having openings 53 therein allowing for passage of gastherethrough. The member 52 is provided with an end boss 54 adapted tohave bearing engagement againstI the inner end of the diaphragm, and tobe reciprocated thereby axially of the housing 40 upon expansion andcontraction of the diaphragm 46.

The iiange 48 also forms one seat for a coiled spring member 55encircling the member 49, the opposite end of the spring bearing againstan annular ring, 5'6 which encircles the member 49 between which and theflange 50 there is disposed suitable packing 51 for sealing the outersurface of the member 49 against leakage of gas therepast. This spring55 normally urges the valve member 49 and the cage member 52 intoabutting engagement against the-diaphragm power element 46.

At its opposite end, the member 49 is provided with an inwardlyextending flange 51, dening a valve opening into the interior of themember 49, which is adapted to have relative movement with respect to avalve disc member 58, preferably formed as a bimetallic disc fortemperature compensation, although this is optional. The disc 58 isseated against the radial flange 59 carried by the sleeve member69,-which sleeve member terminates` in a threaded end receiving thethreaded sleeve or cup-shaped end cap 62, this end cap containing thecoil spring member 63 biased at one end against the inner face of thecap 62 and at the opposite end being biased against a disc member 64carried therein and stopped against the threaded shoulder formed at theconnection between the sleeves and 62. A suitable coil spring 85 isbiased against the disc 58 at one end for holding the disc iirmlyagainst the iiange 59, and at its opposite end is biased against the endportion of the cage member 52, as clearly shown in Figure 3. Thus thespring 65 forms a resilient connection between the disc and the cagemember 52. The housing 49 is provided with a suitable by-pass portion 61which by-passes the valve cage member 52and valve member 49 and which iscontrolled by means of a suitable meter-ing screw shown more or lessdiagrammatically in Figure 3 at 68. This by-pass is for the purpose ofinsuring a minimum now to the main burner I2 through the port 28 andtheconduits 29 and I5 even when the valve member 49 is seated against thedisc 58, in order to insure ignition of the m'ain burner with a minimumsetting of the control unit.

At its opposite end, the hou-sing 40 is provided with a reducedcylindrical extension 1c, which extension i-s provided with acounterbore 12 that is internally threaded to receive the threadedbushing 13 carried by the selecting spindle 14. The spindle 14 isprovided with a slabbed oil portion 15 whereby the dial member 33 may besecured thereto for conjoint rotation therewith, so that upon rotationof the dial member 33 the spindle 14 lis threaded axially of theextension 10, producing axial movement of the hollow extending portion16 of the spindle. The sleeve member 66 and the extending portion 16 ofthe spindle are adapted to provide suitable the spring 63. Upon rotationof the dial 33, therefore, the spindle 14 is threaded axially inwardly,producing axial inward movement of the rod 11, and this rod, through thespring 63, carries the sleeve member 60 and the valve disc 58 to thelef-t, as viewed in Figure 3, tending to close the opening through'themember 49. The

spring 63 acts to accomodate over travel, and

prevents stressing of the diaphragm when the rod 11 moves toward thediaphragm under the inuence of rotation of the dial 33. Rotation of thedial 33 in the opposite direction moves the spindle 14 outwardly, andthe spring 63 thereupon forces the rod 11 to follow the outward movementof the spindle to a point at which the disc 64 engages the threaded endof the sleeve 60. The follower spring 65 is counteracted by a suitableretaining spring 19 encircling the rod 11 between the sleeve 60 and theportion 16 of the spindle, and the disc 58 is therefore adapted to movesubstantially conjointly with the sleeve 60 and rod 11, Vindependent ofany movement of diaphragm 46. The spring |9` is not strong enough toforce washer 6d away from rod 11 against the pressure of spring 65, butmerely holds the cooking finger 80 in place on hollow spindle 16.Preferably the rod 11 ls made of Invar,y while the housing 25 is made ofbrass, in order to provide for temperature compensation of the elementto prevent an error in calibration thereof due to the temperature towhich the unit is subjected.

It Will also be noted that when the temperature within the chamber 1, assensed by the bulb 23,

; increases, there will be an increase of pressure in the diaphragm ofpower element 46, reacting against the cage member 53 to move the valveassembly toward the disc 58, thereby reducing the flow of fuel throughthe port 28. Upon a decrease of temperature in the oven chamber, thepressure in the power element decreases and the spring 55 thereuponcauses the cage element 52 to follow the diaphragm to its collapsedposition, the spring 55 at the same time moving the valve element 49conjointly with the cage member 52 to open the valve opening between thedisc 58 and the flange 51, thereby increasing the flow of fuel to themain burner. Thus, the dial 33 when rotated to the selected position,produces a predetermined setting of the disc 58 with respect to thevalve member 49, to allow approximately the proper quantity of fueltherepast into the main burner. Variations of temperature within themain burner from the selected temperature will cause variations in thepressure within the l power element diaphragm 46, and consequently willvary the setting of the valve member 49 with respect to the disc 58 tovary the flow of fuel in accordance with the variations in temperature.increasing the ow of fuel upon decreases in temperature and decreasingthe ow of fuel upon increases in temperature.

Mounted upon the extended portion 16 of the spindle 14 is a cookingfinger indicated generally at 80, this nger being held in position onthe extension 16 of the spindle by the retainer spring 19 bearingagainst the disc 82 at the end of the projecting portion of the spindle.The cocking finger 8U, as indicated clearly in Figure 2', is adapted forconjoint rotation with the spindle 16, and has a projecting cam portion83 adapted to engage one end 84 of a bell crank member 85 pivoted uponthe pin 86 carried by the shoulder portion 81 formed integral with thehousing l. 'I'he bell crank member 35 has an extending arm portion 88,clearly shown in Figure 2, which is adapted to engage a reciprocatoryvalve stem member carrying the valve member 92 at the lower end thereofby means of the ball and socket connection indicated at 93. The valvemember 92 is` adapted to seat against the valve seat insert 94 carriedat the upper end of the offset portion 2B of the housing 46, and thestem 90 is provided with a suitable radial iiange 95 engaged by theradial portion of a cup-shaped follower member 96 whereby the valve stemand valve member are normally urged toward` the' valve seat by thespring 91.

The housing 40 is provided, on its upper surface in alignment with theopening to the inlet port 26, with an extension 98 interiorly threadedto receive the housing 99 of the safety shutoff unit for controlling thevalve member 92. The housing 99 is threaded into the extension 98, and asuitable Washer |00 is compressed in position across the lower endthereof, the washer being apertured to provide for reciprocatorymovement of the valve stem 90 therethrough. Disposed in the upperportion of the housing 99 is a substantially annular magnet frameportion |02', which is of generally cup-shaped section and which isprovided with the magnetic coil |03 having connection at one end withthe conductor 36a, as indicated at |04. 'I'he central portion of themagnet frame |02 forms a cylindrical bore |05 in which the upper portionof the valve stem 90 is adapted to reciprocate. At its lower end, thepole face of the magnet is adapted to engage a soft iron disc member|06, forming an armature carried by the valve stem 90 and suitablysecured to the reduced portion of the valve stem by means of thethreaded sleeve |01 through which the armature |06 is loosely securedagainst the shoulder |08 of the valve stem. Suitable sealing means ||0is compressed against the under face of the washer |00 by means of thewasher ||2 against which the upper end of the spring 91 is adapted toseat. yThe valve stem 90 is provided with an axial bore H3, providedadjacent its lower end with laterally extending openings H0 providingcommunication through the ports M5 in the cupshaped follower 96 with theinterior of the housing 40 and therefore providing for flow of fuel fromthe port 26 through the openings ||5 and the ports ||4 into the passage||3 of the valve stem, the fuel from this passage entering thecylindrical bore |05 of the magnet frame and passing out through themetering valve opening. ||6 to the transversely extending passage ||1communicating with the interior of the metallic tubing 38 leading to thethermocouple. A suitable metering screw I8 is provided for controllingthe ow of pilot fuel through the passage H6, this screw being acUustedby a suitable screw driver or the like, and being protected fromunauthorized adjustment by means of the cap member H9 threaded into theupper end of the housing 99. n

In the operation of the structure as thus far described, the gas flowingfrom the conduit`2'l into the interior of the unit 25 through the port28 passes the valve seat 9S and lls theinterior of the chamber orhousing 40 at the right hand side as viewed in Figure 3. A portion `ofthis gas passes upwardly through the valve stem and through the tube 30to the pilot tip member l1, issuing through the orices 22 past thewelded hot junction 95 and out of the ports i8 andi@ to produce a pilotname 4for insuring ignition of the burner i2 when gas is admittedthereto. A

smallportion of the gas moves through the bypass opening 81 controlledby the metering screw Il to the burner I2 when the valve 92 is in openposition. and the remaining portion of the gas moves past the disc 6Iand the valve member 49 and through the cage member B2 to the port 28Assume now that the pilot name is accidentally extinguished. Thisimmediately causes cooling of the junction and consequently producesdeenergizationv of the magnet coils |03 in the magnet frame III. VThisresults in the armature ill no longer being held in attracted positionagainst the -pole face of thev magnet frame, and consequently the springI1 snaps the valve stem I il. downwardly to move the, amature away fromthe magnet frame, and simultaneously move the valve I2' into engagementwith the valve seat 94. 'ifhisoshuts off all flow' of fuel to the pilotburner and4 to the main burner. The valve 92 will remain closed as longas the pilot flame is unignited, and the dial member I3 is not actuatedfrom its previous set position. e

To reignite the pilot flame it is necessary to .rotate the dial member33 in a clockwise direction to its limiting position, which will resultin rotation ofathe cam member 80 to cause the finger 43 to rock the bellcrank BI about its pivot, raising the valve stem 9| and simultaneouslymoving the armature IIB carried by the shoulder I up against the polefaces of the magnet frame 4t2. It is necessary that the dial 33 remainin this position until'lgas passing through the valve stem and throughthetube 3B is ignitedat lthe pilottip 4I`Lioproduce-the pilot ame 20,which causes heating of the thermocouple junction Il and consequentlyenergization of the coils ill, thereby energizing the magnet and--maintaining the armature inattracted position.A

-Tbmdial member -mmay then be rotated in a .eonnjserclockwise directionto the desired position stor-guplroducinga predetermined temperature intheorem-thereby actuating the disc member I8 to-produce apredeterminedsetting of the disc with respect to the valve member 49 for allowingaflow of gas through the conduits 20 and iii to the main burner. As theburner temperature varies within the oven chamber 1, the

element 44 will vary the position of the valve member 40 with respect tothe disc l to maintain a predetermined temperature in the oven, thisbeing determined in advance by proper calibration of the unit. Assumingthat the mem-ber 4l -is seated vagainst the disc il, there will still bea sufficient supply of fuel through the by-pass 41 to maintain a minimumlow fire fuel supply to the main burner to insure ignition thereof andto maintain a minimum temperature within the oven.

' It will be noted that the entire selecting and control mechanism formaintaining and controlling the dow of fuel to the main burner isindependent of the safety shutoff unit except insofar as control of thefuel to the burner for .maintaining a predetermined temperature in theoven is concerned, and it would be possible to remove the housing Ilfrom the extension Il. thereby removing the valve 'assembly 92 in thevalve stem 9|, and to seal this extension by means of a suitable closureplug if the safety control unit is 'not to be incorporated in thegeneral control system. Thus the present assembly provides formanufacture either of a control unit A may be made without departingfrom thev underlying principles thereof, the illustrated embodiment ofthe invention discloses a preferred manner of accomplishing the purposesof the present invention. However, it is to be understood that I do.notintend to be limited to the exact details shown and described, but onlyinsofar as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim: 4

1. In a device of the class described, a valve housing having an inletand an outlet, a selecting spindle having threaded engagement in saidhousing, a rod actuated axially by rotationof said spindle, a sleeveslidable upon said rod and and having a ilange at one end, a spring'confined within said sleeve and biased between the other end of saidsleeve and the adjacent end of said rod, a valve disc member encirclingsaid sleeve, a sleeve-like valve member reciprocableiny said housing andhaving a valve opening at one end adapted for control by said valve discmember, thermally actuated means at the opposite end of said sleeve-likevalve member, a cooperating member engaged by sald,thermally actuated`means at position substantially in axial alignment with said rod andextending radially and coacting at its outer periphery with the adjacentend of said sleeve-like valve member, and a spring surrounding saidsleeve member and dis.- posed within said sleeve-.dike valve member,said spring being biased between said cooperatingv member and said valvedisc'member to seat said valve disc member against the flange on said`sleeve member so that the valve disc member will be actuated axially byaxial actuation of said 2. In a deviceof the class described,` a valvehousing having an inwardly.- extending guide flange, a sleeve-like valveIiiiember reciprocable in said guide fiange, said sleeve-like valvemember having a valve opening at one end and a flange atthe otherl end.a selecting spindle having threaded engagement in said housing, a rodactuated axially -by rotation of said spindle, a sleeve slidable uponsaid rod and having a flange at .one end,a spring confined within saidsleeve and biased between the other end of said sleeve and the adjacentend of said rod, a valve disc member encircling said sleeve and adaptedfor controlling the valve opening at one end of said sleeve-like valvemember, a spring surrounding said sleeve member and acting against saidvalve disc member to seat same against the flange on said sleeve memberso that the valve disc member will be actuated axially by axialactuation of said rod. thermally actuated means at the opposite end ofsaid sleeve-like valve member, a cooperating member engaged by saidthermally actuated means at position substantially in axial alignmentwith said rod and extending radially and coactlng at its outer peripherywith the ange at the adjacent end of the sleeve-like valve member, and aspring encircling the sleevelike valve member and biased between theange on said sleeve-like valve member and the guide THEODORE A. WETZEL.

